We strongly believed that our principles can be applied to the catering industry. We were acutely aware that too many convenience products were being used in catering in order to reduce cost and skill, and therefore the quality and range of food available had deteriorated.

We developed AJ’s to make a real difference to the cafe bar / delicatessen market. We source fresh, locally produced raw materials and supply these to our skilled teams of chefs, who are allowed to then create great honest food for our customers.

They produce freshly made soups, tempting snacks and light bites, or more formal lunches and dinners, and even hand-made cakes and pastries. We passionately believe that because we have taken the time and effort to find the best freshest ingredients available in the area, our customers will recognise the difference in the dishes we serve on their plates.

Our menus are regulary changed and are based on the seasonality of UK produce. We are realists and sometimes we may not be able to source raw materials locally, and if not, we first search regionally and then within the United Kingdom.

We are not unrealistic in our approach - bananas travel over 4,000 miles to be consumed in the UK, as they are not grown here. However we adopt our principles of supporting local businesses by sourcing our bananas from a local responsible distributor, who supports our ethos of welfare and sustainability.

The defining ingredient to our success is the quality of the food on the plate. We know that if we can use the freshest, best quality raw materials, we are half way there. It just so happens that by sourcing these from local, regional and UK producers, we can help their businesses at the same time.